


Rescue Mission

by afteriwake



Series: Evening Twilight [7]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 10:40:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She had to save her squad from doing something stupid, though she might lose more than she bargained for in the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rescue Mission

**Author's Note:**

> For **kellenanne** , who had the prompt “fighting for breath” with Hitsugaya/Hinamori.

“Hitsugaya-kun!”

Hitsugaya turned towards the sound of his name and saw Hinamori running towards him. “Hinamori, what’s wrong?”

“My squad…” She stopped in front of him, bending over at the waist to try and catch her breath. “They left. They went…they went to go …fight the Arrancar…on their own.”

“Idiots,” Hitsugaya growled, a scowl on his face. “How many?”

“ _Everyone_ ,” she said. “All of the seated officers are on guard duty with Captain Kuchiki, Captain Kyoraku and Captain Ukitake, and the unseated officers were all that were left and they’re all gone.” She stood up. “Only one of them stayed behind because she was injured yesterday, and she told me in hopes that I could stop them but I was too late.”

Hitsugaya thought for a moment and then nodded. “Does she know where they went?”

She nodded. “Yes. A forest in the Fugai District, west of the 6th ward. I was told by others that that is where…Aizen…turned the Vizard into Hollows.”

“I know where that is,” he said with a nod, beginning to move towards the building’s exit. “We must leave at once. If they’ve already made it there they’ll be wide open and we may be too late.”

“What about Rangiku-san?” she asked, keeping up with him.

“She said she had news to share with the other Captains about the attacks. I would send word, but…” He paused for a moment, and then shook his head. “There’s not enough time. We must go, quickly.”

Once they were outside they began to use shunpo to get to the forest. No words had to be exchanged, but Hitsugaya could tell Hinamori’s feelings were a mixture of worry and anger and frustration. He could understand that. Her squad was still captainless, and there were many who did not see her as an authoritative type. It seemed to him that at times her squad was more troublesome than Kenpachi’s squad, because at least Kenpachi’s men would listen to and respect him. He saw the frowns on her face when she was lost in her thoughts and didn’t realize he was watching her. It angered him that her squad treated her the way they did, and if he could help put a stop to it today by saving their necks than he would do it.

They made it to the forest quickly and saw they were too late. At least four squad members lay on the ground, dead or dying. The small handful of shinigami left were fending off attacks by three Arrancar, and it looked to be a losing battle. Hitsugaya drew his sword. “Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens, Hyorinmaru!” he called out, unleashing his shikai as he headed into the fight.

Hinamori drew her sword as well. “Snap, Tobiume!” Once her shikai was released, she looked at her subordinates. “Take care of those who are still alive!” she called out. They broke away from the fight and headed away, leaving her and Hitsugaya to deal with the three Arrancar.

“We get two little children?” the female Arrancar said. “That’s no fun.”

“I am a Captain level shinigami, and she is a Liuetenant,” Hitsugaya said.

“Oh, we already knew that, Toshiro Hitsugaya,” the larger man said with a smirk. “We know all about the Gotei 13.”

Hitsugaya glared at him. “Why are you here? What purpose do you have?”

“Do you really think we’d tell you?” the thin man said. He gripped his sword tighter. “I want to get back to the fun. Don’t you want to get back to the fun, Isabella?”

The woman nodded, a wicked grin on her lips. “Yes, I do.” And with that she charged at Hinamori. Hitsugaya instinctively moved to protect her when the two men attacked him. The fight began in their favor, but quickly turned as Hitsugaya used his bankai. He could only glance at Hinamori’s fight, but saw that she was holding her own and she would be fine for the moment. 

But in that moment he got distracted, and the thin Arrancar swung his sword and it cut deep into Hitsugaya’s thigh. He didn’t scream, but instead dropped to one knee once the sword was removed. He could feel the blood flowing down his leg as he began to get lightheaded.

And then he heard something he never thought he’d hear. “Bankai!” Hinamori shouted. He turned to look and saw that he sword had changed again. She stared in shock at her sword for a moment, and Hitsugaya realized she must have attained it only recently if it still surprised her. But within seconds she was back in the fight, finishing off Isabella and bearing down on the two Arrancar who had been fighting him. Within moments, thanks to some well picked kidou in conjunction with her bankai, the fight was over.

She watched the last Arrancar fade into dust before hurrying over to him. “You…know bankai,” he said weakly.

“Renji-kun has been helping me,” she said quietly, looking him over. “Hitsugaya-kun, you’ve almost lost your leg. And you’re losing a lot of blood.”

“You still know healing kidou, right?” he asked, shutting his eyes.

“Some,” she said quietly before snapping her head up. “You!” she called over to one of the shinigami. “Give me your sash! I need to keep his leg together.”

“Yes, Lieutenant Hinamori,” he said. He quickly undid his sash and the others came over, offering theirs as well. One of the other unseated shinigami knelt down and began wrapping the sashes around Hitsugaya’s leg.

“If he dies I will never forgive any of you,” she said in a grave voice as she stood up. “You were foolish to think you could come out here and fight Arrancar on your own!” She looked at the survivors, who all had their heads bowed in shame. “We need to get him back to Seireitei as quickly as possible, as soon as I’ve stabilized him to the best of my ability.”

“Lieutenant Hinamori?” one of the men said.

“Yes?” she asked.

“There were other shinigami closer by. Perhaps there are healers there.”

She thought for a moment and then nodded. “I can keep him stable. Go find someone, and quickly!” The shinigami who had spoken up nodded to two others and they left, leaving Hinamori and Hitsugaya alone with two others keeping guard. “I am sorry, Hitsugaya-kun,” she said softly. “If it hadn’t been for this, you would be whole and healthy right now.”

“It is not your fault,” he said quietly, opening his eyes. “But, if we do not get—“

“Don’t think that,” she said, cutting him off. “We will get help, and we will get you back to Seireitei and the healers will get you back to normal.”

“If they do not,” he said, looking at her, “know that I have enjoyed our time together, and that I care for you a great deal…Momo.” And with that, he shut his eyes.

“Hitsugaya-kun, please stay awake,” she said, a tear falling down her cheek. “Please stay awake for me.”

“I will try,” he said. “Talk to me. That will help.”

When her squad returned with two 4th Division squad members, they found Hinamori crying softly as she continued to talk to Hitsugaya, who had stopped responding but was still breathing. The healers motioned for her to move out of the way, and they got him stabilized and ready for transport. And with that, a solemn group of shinigami began to make their way back to Seireitei.


End file.
